difficulty of major with 3.75 req

[med17]

I am in a Gauranteed Admit Program for med school at UPitt.

I don't have to take the MCAT or anything, just have a science and overall GPA of 3.75.

I am wanting to do the major of Molecular Biology with the Biochemistry track (http://www.as.pitt.edu/undergraduate/advising/pdf/majorsheets/MOLBIO.pdf)

I've done AP Chemistry with a 5, AP Calc AB with a 5, and will probably pass out of 1-2 bio courses.

I am wondering if taking this major will make it difficult for me to maintain a 3.75 GPA?

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[BigChubbyMD]

I am wondering if taking this major will make it difficult for me to maintain a 3.75 GPA?

Not if you work hard

 

[GoSpursGo]

Who knows? Each school and professor grades differently. In any case, just work your butt off and take care of business; you can definitely do it, especially since you won't have the specter of having to study for the MCAT or run around jumping through the usual EC hoops.

 

[KeyzerSoze]

I am in a Gauranteed Admit Program for med school at UPitt.

I don't have to take the MCAT or anything, just have a science and overall GPA of 3.75.

I am wanting to do the major of Molecular Biology with the Biochemistry track (http://www.as.pitt.edu/undergraduate/advising/pdf/majorsheets/MOLBIO.pdf)

I've done AP Chemistry with a 5, AP Calc AB with a 5, and will probably pass out of 1-2 bio courses.

I am wondering if taking this major will make it difficult for me to maintain a 3.75 GPA?

It will be easier if you take the AP and BIO courses for an A instead of passing out of them.

 

[dr seuss]

It will be easier if take the AP and BIO courses for an A instead of passing out of them.

I was going to say this too. Those classes are way easier than the upper division science classes.

 

[med17]

IDK if this is true in many places or not, but I have heard it those classes (at least at Pitt) are major weed out courses...

 

[ThaliaNox]

I wouldn't retake courses I'd already APed out of if I was a pre-admit. For many of the pre-meds I know, the intro courses in chem and bio were their lowest grades in college. These classes are weeders almost everywhere! To keep your GPA high, continue along your chosen major path, but take extra humanities and social sciences, which tend to be much easier and less time consuming (no labs) than science courses. Especially for the first year, take a less grueling schedule while you are adjusting to college. It's different than high school. Since you've got a bunch of classes out of the way that are part of your major, you have extra room to play with and still get out in four years. Also, don't let people scare you away from upper level science classes. Personally, I'd rather take upper level sciences than intro sciences, any day! Just remember that you need 3 As for every B to keep that 3.75. It doesn't sound as scary that way.

As an aside, that major doesn't look that bad. You aren't required to take P-chem, calc based physics and you already have calc itself out of the way. I took a near identical major, and these classes were my only less-than-As. Everyone is different, of course, but your desired major doesn't look horrible by any means.

 

[ironicallyunsur]

major in something that will be easy for you, if you have the choice to do so. you already have to take the harder pre-med classes anyway, so keep your gpa up with a fluff major.

 

[muhali3]

You don't have to worry about ECs or the MCAT. Only your GPA, therefore it shouldn't be too hard if you work hard and be conscientious about it.

 

[fastboyslim]

How do you get into a guaranteed admit program?

 

[BurghStudent]

I go to Pitt with your intended major. I didn't apply to the program but know many people that are in it. The GPA requirement is rather high but not impossible. If you are smart enough to get into the program then you will generally probably be able to handle the courses. It is true that Pitt sciences, especially intro are weed out classes but with AP under your belt, Chem should not be hard.

Not to scare you but there was a Guaranteed Admit that had a bad semester, with a C. He didn't make it. So just be efficient with your time and energy and work hard like you normally would. It really is a great program btw.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Personally, I think I would take the easiest major available and sprinkle in a couple biology courses you think you'd like.

 

[confusedliberal]

i had a friend who applied to these programs, she told me the Penn State guaranteed med program only needs a 3.5, that's like 1 A for every B right? And 3.2 science GPA for the Northwestern one. Sounds way easier than being a trad premed...wish I had gone for one in HS

 

[med17]

does doing this (easy fluff major) hurt me in med school or taking the MCAT (if I wanted to?)

I was thinking about just taking something really easy, but I don't want to fall flat on my face in medical school.

also here is the GPA scale:

A+ A 4.00 Superior A- 3.75 B+ 3.25 B 3.00 Meritorious B- 2.75 C+ 2.25 C 2.00 Adequate C- 1.75 D+ 1.25 D 1.00 Minimal D- 0.75 F 0.00 Failure
Does that still mean 3 As for every 1 B?